Obama Expresses Concern, Regret over Israeli Ship

Obama Expresses Concern, Regret over Israeli Ship Raid

Washington - President Obama supports a U.N. Security Council statement that condemns an Israeli raid on a humanitarian aid flotilla headed for Gaza and calls for a full investigation, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs says.

At a White House briefing June 1, Gibbs said the president spoke three times with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on May 31 about the incident. The president also expressed "deep regret" at the loss of life and of those wounded in the raid, he said.

Gibbs added that the United States and international community support the U.N. Security Council statement that said: "The Security Council deeply regrets the loss of life and injuries resulting from the use of force during the Israeli military operation in international waters against the convoy sailing to Gaza. The council in this context condemns those acts, which resulted in the loss of at least 10 civilians and many wounded, and expresses its condolences to their families. The Security Council requests the immediate release of the ships, as well as civilians held by Israel."

And Gibbs also said "the statement that I read calls for an investigation that is prompt, impartial, credible and transparent, conforming to international standards, of exactly what happened. And we're obviously supportive of that."

Early on May 31, a flotilla of six cargo ships and passenger boats carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip was intercepted by the Israeli military after repeated warnings. During a raid on one of the ships, the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, at least 10 civilians were killed, according to news accounts.

"The president also expressed the importance of learning all the facts and circumstances around this morning's tragic events as soon as possible," the White House said in a May 31 summary ( http://www.america.gov/st/texttrans-english/2010/May/20100601112310ptellivremos0.4601862.html ) of a telephone conversation between Obama and Netanyahu. Netanyahu had been scheduled to meet with Obama May 31 in Washington on a number of issues before the incident.

State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said that the United States is working to ascertain the facts and expects that the Israeli government will conduct a full and credible investigation.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu held talks with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at the State Department June 1, and had told reporters ahead of their meeting that Turkey wanted a strong statement from the United States.

The United States has worked closely with the Israeli government, the Palestinian Authority, international nongovernmental organizations and the United Nations to provide adequate access for humanitarian goods, including reconstruction materials, through established border crossings while recognizing security concerns, Crowley said.

"However, Hamas' interference with international assistance shipments and work of nongovernmental organizations, and its use and endorsement of violence, complicates efforts in Gaza," Crowley said.

Ambassador Alejandro Wolff, deputy permanent U.S. representative to the United Nations, said during an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council ( http://www.america.gov/st/texttrans-english/2010/June/20100601170130SBlebahC0.7160913.html ) May 31 that this incident underscores the need to move ahead quickly with talks that can lead to a comprehensive peace in the region. The United States has been conducting indirect talks ( http://www.america.gov/st/peacesec-english/2010/May/20100519122805ptellivremos0.8723108.html ) with the Israelis and Palestinians aimed at restarting direct Middle East peace talks.

"The only viable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an agreement, negotiated between the parties, that ends the occupation that began in 1967 and fulfills the aspirations of both parties for independent homelands through two states for two peoples, Israel and an independent, contiguous and viable state of Palestine, living side by side in peace and security," Wolff said.

ENDS

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